Why is Shankh blown before start of puja in Sanatana Dharma?

Shankh
Shankh

The Shankh is the conch shell, which is blown before a puja begins or when someone enters the room. It is also blown five times before offering a prayer to the Gods. The Shankh also has many other uses in Hinduism. It is blown to drive away evil spirits and as an offering to different Gods for granting you boons. Shanka or conch represents Lord Vishnu, who blew His enormous Shankh from his mouth to destroy the egoistic demon Hiranyakashipu and his son Prahlada. A Shankh has seven holes in it and blowing air directly into it produces the sound of an unending ocean with its own rhythm. According to Hindu tradition, blowing a Shankh creates a ripple effect and spreads peace and harmony within oneself, one’s home, and environment around oneself. Let us take a look at why Shankh is blown before start of puja in Sanatana Dharma

Why is Shankh blown before start of puja in Sanatana Dharma?

The rituals of Hindus are not just a set of superstitious practices, but they are a way of life. A ritual or a puja is not just a set of actions that one performs. It is also an occasion to collect one’s thoughts and to direct them towards the Ultimate Reality that resides within oneself. Puja is not just the ritualistic offering of gifts, but it is also an occasion to express gratitude. It is a ritual where we offer our praise and thanks to the Gods who are nothing but the manifestation of our own potential. Hindus believe that the effect of a puja is not confined to the person who performs the puja, but it impacts and influences the lives of all other beings as well. Hence, before the puja begins, all negative forces are removed so that the puja has a positive impact on everyone. Thus, blowing a Shankh before a puja begins is a way of sending out a signal to all negative forces that they are not welcome. There is no puja without Shankh in Hinduism. This is because of the significance of Shankh in Hinduism.

Importance of blowing a Shankh before the puja begins

The blowing of a Shankh before the puja begins is an important ritual where Hindus invite positive energies within the puja room by blowing the shankh. This helps in removing all the negative energies present in the room. The blowing of the Shankh is significant because of the following reasons. Hindus believe that all the Gods reside in their abodes, which are nothing but the different aspects of Brahman. Thus, when the Shankh is blown, it is as if we are paying our respects to the various Gods who reside within us. In Hinduism, every ritual is symbolic in nature. The blowing of the Shankh before the puja begins is also symbolic in nature. It means that we are inviting positive energies in the puja room and driving away all the negative energies.

To drive away the evil spirits

All the Gods are pure, divine, and positive forces. However, there are also evil forces, which try to create chaos and disrupt the harmony that the Gods create. They try to create obstacles in our path towards self-realization. These evil forces are also called as the evil spirits, which are different from the Gods. When the Shankh is blown, it drives away these evil spirits and creates a positive vibration in the environment. The blowing of the Shankh is an important aspect in the puja room, as it drives away all the evil spirits from the room. It is a way of protecting the puja from evil spirits.

To pay respect to the Gods and their abodes

The blowing of the Shankh before the puja begins is also a way of paying respect to the Gods and their abodes. The puja room is the abode of the Gods and the Shankh is blown to show respect to the Gods and their abode. During a puja, the Gods are invited to descend within us and we become a medium for the Gods to manifest themselves. Thus, the Shankh is blown to show respect to the Gods and their abode.

Shanka as an offering during Hindu rituals

The Shankh is used in many Hindu rituals as an offering to the Gods. In the ritual of Ganesh Chaturthi, the Shankh is an important offering to Lord Ganesh. It is also an offering in the ritual of Kartik Poornim, where it is offered to the Sun God. During the ritual of Pitru Paksha, the Shankh is used as an offering to the ancestors. During the Navratri Puja, it is used as an offering to the Mother Goddess. It is also used as an offering during the ritual of Ashwamedh.

Conclusion

The blowing of the Shankh is a ritualistic practice in Hinduism that is done before a puja begins. It is a way of sending out a signal to all negative forces that they are not welcome. It is also a way of paying respect to the Gods and their abodes and driving away evil spirits. The Shankh is used as an offering during many Hindu rituals. It is also a symbol of Lord Vishnu, who blew His enormous Shankh from his mouth to destroy the egoistic demon Hiranyakashipu and his son Prahlada.

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